Green Party's Anna Collar goes viral on social media

A video of Anna Collar has gone viral for her response during a recent hustings event in which she stood up for a resident who was referred to as a "shrinking violet" by former Conservative MP Sir Desmond Swayne.

The video has been viewed over one million times across TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

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In the video, Desmond addresses a resident's concerns about sewage, prompting Anna to interject with a defence of both the resident and the “importance of respectful discourse” in politics.

Interesting vid someone sent me ... Conservative Desmond Swayne in the super safe New Forest West seat but facing huge anger at a hustings over the sewage issue. He defends his voting record but audience cheers when he's told off for calling questioner a "shrinking violet" pic.twitter.com/VEOHqFcrgT

— Emilio Casalicchio (@e_casalicchio) June 28, 2024

Anna said: "I am deeply humbled by the overwhelming support and positive feedback I have received.

“Everyone deserves to be heard and treated with respect, and I will always stand up against dismissive and disrespectful behaviour. This campaign is about bringing real hope, real change and ensuring that every voice in New Forest West is valued."

The New Forest Green Party said: "We believe that Anna's dedication and courage exemplify the leadership qualities needed to bring about meaningful change in our community.

"As the election approaches, we encourage voters to support Anna Collar and the Green Party's vision for a fairer, greener future for New Forest West."

The full list of candidates standing for New Forest West is as follows:

Conservative - Sir Desmond Swayne

Labour - Dr Sally Johnston 

Green Party - Anna Collar 

Liberal Democrats - Jack Davies

Social Democratic Party - Paul Simon 

Reform UK - Reginald Chester-Sterne